Contextualization

The trema, also known as diaeresis, is a diacritical mark used in many languages, including Portuguese. It consists of two dots placed over a vowel (ü) to indicate that it should be pronounced independently in a word. In 2009, an orthographic agreement of the Portuguese language eliminated the use of the trema in Portuguese, except in proper names and their derivatives.

In the past, the trema was used in words such as "tranqüilo", "freqüente", and "lingüística", to indicate that the vowel "u" should be pronounced. After the orthographic reform, however, these words started to be written without the trema: "tranquilo", "frequente", and "linguística". Over time, the trema fell into disuse in Brazilian Portuguese, although it can still be found in some old texts.

Importance of the Trema

Although no longer present in the formal norm of Portuguese, the trema is still a relevant topic for the study of the language. Knowing the history and use of the trema can help in understanding the evolution of the Portuguese language and in reading older texts or authors who chose to maintain the use of the mark. Furthermore, the trema is still widely used in other languages, such as German and French, and its knowledge can assist in learning these languages.

To deepen their studies on the use of the trema in the Portuguese language, students can consult the following references:

1. "Grammar for public contests" - Fernando Pestana.
2. "Portuguese for foreigners: fundamentals and pedagogical practices" - Maria Helena de Moura Neves.
3. "New Portuguese manual" - Domingos Paschoal Cegalla.
4. Portuguese Language Portal: www.portaldalinguaportuguesa.org
5. Brazilian Academy of Letters: www.academia.org.br

Practical Activity

Title: The Legacy of the Trema

Project Objectives:

1. Understand the concept and history of the use of the trema in the Portuguese language.
2. Analyze old texts that use the trema and identify words that had this mark.
3. Learn about the orthographic reform that eliminated the use of the trema in Portuguese.
4. Understand the updated use of the trema in other languages.
5. Work on collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and time management.

Project Description:

In this project, groups (3 to 5 students) will conduct in-depth research on the history and use of the trema in the Portuguese language and in other languages. Additionally, they will analyze old (pre-orthographic reform) and current texts to identify and compare the presence of the trema. The groups will also be tasked with creating an educational guide on the trema, highlighting its main characteristics, history, usage, and examples.

Required Materials:

• Books and reference websites on Portuguese grammar and orthography.
• Printed or digital texts (books, articles, poems, etc.) that contain the trema (from before 2009).
• Materials for the production of the educational guide: paper, colored pens, computer for research and text development.
• Camera or cellphone for photographing evidence and recording presentations.

Project Steps:

1. Research: Students will start by researching the trema, understanding its concept, history, use in the Portuguese language, and in other languages. The suggested references can be a good starting point.

2. Text Analysis: Subsequently, they should look for texts from before 2009 that use the trema. Students will identify words with this diacritical mark and reflect on its influence on the pronunciation and understanding of these words.

3. Comparison: After the analysis work, students must select key words and compare their use and spelling in current texts (post-orthographic reform). The group should discuss the difficulties or ease in reading and understanding these words without the trema.

4. Production of educational guide: Using the research results, students must produce an educational guide on the trema. This guide can be a brochure, a poster, a slide presentation, etc., and should include definition, history, uses, examples, and curiosities about the trema.

5. Presentation: Finally, the groups must present their educational guide to the class, explaining what they learned about the trema and discussing their reflections on the impact of the orthographic reform on the understanding and pronunciation of the studied words.

Project Delivery:

At the end of the project, each group must deliver:

1. The produced educational guide (physical or digital).
2. A written report with the following structure: Introduction (contextualizing the theme and project objectives), Development (explaining the research conducted, text analysis, comparison, and creation of the educational guide), Conclusions (summarizing the key points, the learnings obtained, and the conclusions about the project), and the Bibliography used.
3. An oral presentation, narrating the project's trajectory.

The written report should be composed with the intention of complementing and reflecting on the project results, pondering the teamwork process, time management, challenges encountered, and how they were overcome.